James Carville Says He Wouldn’t Bet on Trump Appearing at Next Week’s Debate: ‘If You Gave Me Even Money, I’d Say He’s a No-Show’

MELBER: “They’re going to look up and realize, oh my God, here’s the debate. So I want to mention that for folks, we got the new rules. This is next week. It will be different. No opening statements, two minutes to answer each question, red lights visible to candidate when time expires. And a big win for the Biden campaign, given that Trump is a rule-breaker, the other candidate who’s not speaking will be muted when it’s not their turn. Now, that in theory applies to both of them. But of course, more practically, having to wait your turn to speak is something that will affect Trump’s style of debate, if you want to call it that. There were a lot of interruptions last time.”

[Clip starts]

Biden: “I’m not going to answer the question.”

Trump: “Why wouldn’t you answer that question?”

Biden: “Because the question is —“

Trump: “You want to put a lot of new Supreme Court justices, radical left.”

Biden: “Will you shut up, man?”

[Clip ends]

MELBER: “You know, something he might have wanted to say for a long time, a lot of people wanted to say, that was then speaking to at the time the president. They did get progress on these rules. Will that matter or what will matter next week?”

CARVILLE: “Well, if I was a gambler — and actually, I am a gambler — I’d take even money that Trump doesn’t show up.”

MELBER: “Ha!”

CARVILLE: “I just think —“

MELBER: “You don’t think Trump’s coming next week?”

CARVILLE: “I mean, I don’t know, but if I was — I think he’s going to wake up and decide, just like he said he was going to testify at his defense in his trial. He didn’t even put on a defense. Let him show up. I wouldn’t be shocked, but I certainly would not be surprised if you gave me even money, I’d say he’s a no-show. He’ll just get up in the morning, say I’m just not going to do it.”